The Gambling Gift
by Skarlettgirl
Summary: Adam's daughter Maisy is up to her old ways again but can he forgive her if the intentions are good? Story #7 in the Two for the Road series. (Warning: CP of minors mentioned)
1. Chapter 1

Maisy strolled down an aisle of the General Store scanning the various merchandise stocked on the shelves. "Why is everything so damn expensive?" she asked herself quietly as she looked at the price tags.

"Maybe because that's what Mr. Guthrie wants to charge," a voice behind her answered.

A startled Maisy spun around to see her older brother Luke leaning against one of the shelves with his arms folded across his chest.

"Don't ya know it's rude to sneak up on people?" she scowled.

"You're one to talk," he smirked.

"I don't sneak up on people," she said defensively.

"No, but ya sure are rude," he laughed.

"Shut up," she mumbled.

Luke ignored Maisy's verbal indiscretions. There seemed to be an understanding between the two when it came to ratting each other out – they didn't. After the incident last Christmas, Maisy and Luke had been getting along much better; so much in fact that the pair had become partners in crime on the ranch. If there was any mischief on the Ponderosa, the first ones Adam and Evelyn always suspected were Maisy and Luke.

"So, why ya so riled up about the prices?" Luke asked.

"Pa's birthday is coming up and I want to get him something real special," replied Maisy.

"Well how much money ya got?"

"Only thirty-nine cents," she said dismally.

"He likes black liquorice, why don't ya get him some of that?" Luke suggested.

"I said something special, Luke, not some dumb bag of candy!"

"It was just an idea, Margaret Jane! You don't have to bite my head off!"

"I'm sorry," she apologized, "it just has to be special, it just has to be."

"Why?"

"You wouldn't understand," Maisy answered quietly.

"I know I'm not as smart as Benny, but I ain't stupid either, Maisy. Just tell me," he encouraged.

A sombre expression appeared on Maisy's face. "After my mama died I thought no one could ever love me like she did," she began softly, "but I was wrong. Ma and Pa love me and Jake like we was really theirs. I need to get him something great, Luke, something to show that I love him just as much."

"Maisy, Pa never expects us to buy him anything for his birthday; we have always made him something. This year I'm making him a new tool box. Why don't you draw him a picture?"

Maisy rolled her eyes at the suggestion. "A crummy drawing ain't good enough. I need something better, something like..." She paused when her eyes caught sight of the perfect gift. At the end of the aisle, hanging on a hook, was the prettiest saddlebag Maisy had ever seen. "Something like that," she cooed as she walked towards the item and took it off the hook. The accessory was hand-crafted out of soft, deep, reddish-brown leather with a finely embossed star pattern bordering the edges. The double-sack contraption was finished off with a single strap on each side that fastened tightly to the main body with the help of an engraved metal buckle. It was the perfect gift for her pa. He would love it.

Luke followed her and burst out laughing when he saw the price. "$13.75! Good luck with that, little sister!"

"Oh shut up, it's not that much."

"Maisy, you have 39 cents. Unless you're planning on robbing a bank, I think ya better draw Pa a picture."

"I just gotta figure out a way to make some money, is all," she shot back, her eyes still fixated on the leather packs.

"And how do you plan on making money?" he asked sceptically. "You'd have to save a year's worth of allowance to get even half."

"Who said anything about allowance? I'm talking about REAL money."

Luke rolled his eyes. "Like I said, how ya planning on doing that?"

"Not sure right now, but I'll think of something," Maisy assured him.

As Luke and Maisy continued to examine the craftsmanship of saddlebag, their younger sister, Mary, came skipping down the aisle behind them.

"Whatcha doing?" she asked sweetly.

"Nothin'," Maisy muttered, still examining the bag.

"Sure ya are," Mary corrected her, "tell me whatcha doing."

"Why, so you can squeal on us again?" retorted Luke. He was still sore at Mary for ratting him and Maisy out to their parents last week after they snuck away to go fishing instead of finishing their chores. Not only were they given extra chores as punishment, but Adam saw fit to keep close by supervising, which bothered Luke the most. Luke was a hardworking boy but his attention span was something that needed work. With his father watching on, Luke wouldn't be able to have one of the many breaks he tended to take while doing chores. Yes, Mary had spoiled a good thing indeed.

"I'm not gonna squeal," Mary replied innocently.

"There ain't nothin' to squeal over, Mary, cuz we ain't doing anything. We're just looking around," Maisy assured her, hoping to defuse the situation a little.

Before Mary could respond, younger brother Morgan came down the aisle. "Ma says it's time to go and she says we can each get a stick of candy too," he announced happily.

Hearing the word 'candy', Luke and Mary made a dash for the front of the store.

"Ya comin' Maisy?" Morgan asked, seeing that his sister did not budge from her spot.

"Yeah, I'll be there in a minute," she replied, her eyes still fixated on the leather sacks.

"Better hurry or Ma might not let ya get any candy."

Maisy spun around to face Morgan. "You deaf? I said I'd be there in a minute," she barked.

"Fine, don't have any candy, see if I care!" he snapped back then marched away to join the others.

At the front of the store Evelyn had purchased a bag of assorted candy sticks which she placed in her small fabric purse. "You'll get a candy stick after lunch, Jake," she explained upon seeing her son's disappointed look. "I'll not have you spoiling your appetite on sugar."

"Yes, Ma," the boy sighed as he followed his mother and siblings outside.

Adam was loading the recently purchased supplied into the family buckboard as Evelyn and the children exited the mercantile. Filing into the wagon, Adam did a quick head count of his children. "There's only six here, who's missing," he asked the others.

"Maisy; she's still in the store, Pa," Morgan explained in a huffy tone. "I told her we were going now, but she wouldn't come."

Evelyn began to make her way off the buckboard's main seat but was stopped by her husband.

"I'll get her, Evvy," he told her then turned and strode back into the store. Seeing the girl at the end of one of the aisles, Adam called out saying, "Margaret Jane Cartwright, if you are not in that wagon by the count of five, you are walking home, young lady! 1...2...3..."

Maisy darted to the front of the store just in the nick of time. "Sorry, Pa, I guess I just got caught up in looking," she apologized then turned toward the elderly proprietor behind the counter. "Ya sure got some nice things in your place, Mr. Guthrie. Hope ya didn't mind me looking around for a while."

"Not at all, my dear," smiled Mr. Guthrie. He then reached into one of the large glass jars on a shelf behind the counter and pulled out a skinny stick of butterscotch candy. "I believe you didn't get one of these yet," he said as he handed the confection to Maisy.

Maisy's eyes lit up as she looked at the sweet stick then at her father. After Adam gave a quick nod of approval, Maisy took the candy out of Mr. Guthrie's hand. "No, sir, I didn't get one. Thank you very much Mr. Guthrie!" she beamed. "You've got to be the nicest old man I ever met, but don't tell my grandpa I said that."

"Your secret's safe with me, Maisy," laughed Mr. Guthrie.

"Maisy," Adam said then jerked his head in the direction of the store's front doors.

"Right," she remembered, turning a bit red from embarrassment. "Thanks again, Mr. Guthrie. See ya next time," she waved then scurried out of the building.

Adam shook the man's hand. "Thank you, Eli, much obliged."

"My pleasure, Adam; she sure has changed since I first laid eyes on her. The poor thing was nothing but a mousy pile of skin and bones, and now look at her. It's been over a year now, hasn't it?"

"Yes, it has," replied Adam.

"The girl's grown so much. Pretty soon you'll be watching out for all those young suitors that'll be knocking down your door."

"Maisy still has a year and a bit before she's thirteen and even then she'll be waiting a while before I'll allow any sort of that kind of activity to occur. I already have Lizzie to worry about and the twins will be teenagers in less than two months. Don't know if my or Evelyn's nerves could handle Miss Margaret Jane being a teenager at this moment," he chuckled slightly.

"I see what you mean," grinned Eli, "she's a spitfire, that one."

"She is indeed, Eli," Adam remarked with a smile as he turned and walked towards the doors, "she is indeed."


	2. Chapter 2

Sitting on the front steps to the school, Maisy sighed heavily. She liked lunch recess solely due to the fact that it meant she wasn't inside stuck behind a desk, but found herself bored and alone for the majority of the hour. Sure, Maisy ate lunch with her siblings and cousins, but when everyone was finished their meal they would scatter. Lizzie – who was now 14 going on 15 – spent her time with her friend Shanda Dee and the other teenage girls talking and giggling about boys, which didn't interest Maisy at all. The younger girls would play games Maisy felt were beneath her, games such as hide and seek or hopscotch. Sometimes, she would spend the time with Katie (Hoss' daughter) and sit and draw, but not today. Katie decided to play Double Dutch with the younger girls. What Maisy really wanted to do was hang out with the older boys, but that was easier said than done.

The older boys – who included her brothers Benny and Luke – were less than enthused to welcome any females into their lunch break antics. Whether they were playing stick ball, marbles, or involved in something mischievous, it was to be males only! Maisy tried once to play in a stick ball game but was shut out before she could pick up the stick.

Today was no different as she watched the group of boys play marbles from afar. When sounds of contention became too difficult to ignore, Maisy decided to take a chance and go see what the commotion was all about. As she came closer to the designated marble area, Maisy saw Wiley Grant, crouched down, yelling at another boy.

"You blind, you lousy sack of dung?! My aggie's closer to the hole, not yours!"

The other boy just happened to be Robert Richard Rayburn – Bobby Ritchie to his peers – the best marble player in school. The Marble King, as he was often called by the other children, was never without his oversized tin of glass gems. Even when the weather turned cold, you could hear him coming a mile away, clinking down the street. His collection – which only started with four marbles – had grown so much over the past year that pretty soon he would need to transfer the collection into a larger tin; a tin that would now include Wiley Grant's aggie.

"It ain't closer!" Bobby Ritchie yelled back. "I win, Wiley, now pay up before I bust your nose!"

"Why don't ya just get a ruler and measure them? Then you'll know for sure," suggested Maisy.

The cluster of boys all turned to see the girl standing there, arms folded over her chest and wearing a matter-of-fact expression on her face.

Wiley turned to Benny. "Cartwright, you best remind that sister of yours that girls ain't allowed over here!"

"I'm allowed wherever I damn well please, Wiley Grant, and I was just making a suggestion! If you don't wanna take it, that's your loss!" she snapped.

"She's right, Wiley, we should get a ruler," agreed his brother, Lyndon.

"Will you shut up?! We ain't getting no stupid ruler!" Wiley shot back then picked up his marble and tossed it towards Bobby Ritchie. "Here, have it. I didn't like that one anyways."

"How noble of you, Wiley," sneered Maisy.

"You gotta pretty big mouth on ya, girl. Think you can do better?"

"Oh, I know I can, Wiley, but I don't play for marbles, that's kids' stuff. I only play for money."

A wicked smile crept onto Wiley's face. _This is gonna be like taking candy from a_ _baby_ he thought. "Well I gotta a dime that says I can lick ya. You in?"

"You bet I am," she countered then bent down and removed a small handkerchief from the top of her left boot. Unwrapping the white piece of cloth, Maisy pulled out a thin dime, wadded the material up and stuck it back in her boot.

"Maisy, you better not," Benny counselled. "You worked hard for that money; you'll lose it."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, big brother," she replied dryly.

"It's her money, Ben, she can do what she wants with it," Luke told his worried twin. "I'll hold the bets, Wiley, where's yours?"

"Lyndon, give'em a dime," Wiley ordered his younger brother. He quickly obeyed and placed ten cents in Luke's hand.

"OK, so you challenged me so that means I get to call the play. I call two bucks, one shot and you get to go first," said Maisy.

Wiley grabbed one of his marbles and stepped up to the start line that was etched in the dirt. Placing the marble on the outer side of his left foot, he then struck the inside of his left foot with his right, sending the aggie racing towards the teacup-size hole in the ground. After doing one more buck, Wiley got down on his knees and proceeded to shoot the marble with a bent forefinger. The shiny piece of glass rolled swiftly, stopping only about a centimetre from the hole. "Ha! Beat that!" he gloated.

"With pleasure," Maisy smirked. "Bobby Ritchie, could I borrow a marble? I'll give it back after the game."

Bobby Ritchie opened his tin, rummaged around for a second, then pulled out a clear sulphide with a silvery figure of a bird in the centre. "Here, use this one, it's lucky," he said handing the marble to Maisy. "Won it offa some rich kid a while back; said it was from Germany, wherever that is." Maisy took the marble, thanked Bobby Ritchie, and then lined up her shot. With one buck the sulphide bolted over halfway to the hole. All the boys stood in amazement, their mouths gaped open.

Benny leaned over to Luke and whispered, "I had no idea she was so good, did you?"

"Yep," Luke whispered back. "She played all the time when she was in New York. Sometimes we play when we want a break from chores. I've only been able to beat her twice, and I ain't gonna advertise it."

Wiley's self-righteous grin began to slowly disappear as Maisy stepped up for her second buck. Noting the distance left to the hole, she strategically placed her foot beside the marble and gave it a hard whack. That bird sulphide flew down the dirt strip, past Wiley's aggie and into the hole.

"You lose, Grant, pay the girl," chuckled Bobby Ritchie as he retrieved his lucky sulphide marble.

"Beginner's luck," Wiley sneered as he watched Luke hand his dime over to Maisy.

"Is that so?!" barked Maisy. "I'll have you know that...mmwhhff." A hand suddenly covered her mouth, silencing her.

"You're right, Wiley, beginner's luck. Probably couldn't do that again if she tried," Luke agreed, still covering his sister's mouth.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Miss Miller had stepped out onto the schoolhouse's front porch and rang the bell, signalling the end of lunch recess. The group of boys dispersed to gather their things and head back inside, leaving Luke with a shocked Maisy. When everyone, including Benny – who had joined the others – was out of hearing range, Luke uncovered his sister's yap.

"Why the hell did you cover my mouth?!" she demanded to know.

"Because I got a plan that's gonna get you that money for Pa's present and you were about to ruin it, that's why!" he snapped.

A mischievous smile crept onto Maisy's face as she folded her arms across her chest and said, "I'm listening."

Luke then proceeded to tell Maisy about how she could play against the other boys for money like she did with Wiley. Thinking her abilities manipulating the small glass spheres was a fluke rather than a talent, the boys would be eager to want to beat a girl at a 'boys' game. But if she let on too much about her experience, then no one would play against her.

"We could put a minimum bet of a quarter on each game. You'd have your money in no time," Luke told her.

"It's a good plan and something I've done before, but I don't see where you would fit in with all this."

"I'd be you manager; I'd convince the other guys to play against you."

"I see," grinned Maisy suspiciously, "and I suppose you would be my manager out of the goodness of your heart?"

"Nope, I want fifty percent of the winnings."

"Fifty percent, for what...doing nothing?! I'll give you twenty percent."

"Don't insult me," Luke guffawed, "you wouldn't get anyone to make bets without me – forty-five."

"Thirty," Maisy negotiated.

"Forty percent, and that's my final offer!" he stated firmly.

"Fine, forty percent, but you better get me some good bets for that kinda cut, Lucas," Maisy warned.

"Oh, I will," confirmed Luke as he picked up his lunch pail and started towards the schoolhouse.


	3. Chapter 3

Over the next week and a half, Maisy played almost every older boy in school – the exception being Benny and her cousin Nate. Thanks to Maisy's flawless playing and Luke's managerial skills, the pair were able to profit $6.25 together, which – with her sixty percent cut – wasn't anywhere near the amount she needed for Adam's saddlebag. That is until another opportunity presented itself one afternoon at lunch recess.

Wiley Grant had yet to recant his claim that Maisy's marble-playing skills were only luck. He, in fact, kept running his mouth saying if he had another chance to play against Maisy he would beat her for sure.

"What's stopping you from playing then, Wiley?" Luke asked him when the boys were all gathered together, away from the schoolhouse.

"Nothin', Cartwright! I'm too old to be playin' marbles. I play poker now, like my pa. Poker's a man's game. Ain't no way some stupid girl can lick me at a man's game," he boasted.

Approaching the group, Maisy overheard Wiley's last comment and a sinister expression slinked on to her face. "Fine by me, Wiley," she grinned.

"What's fine?" spat Wiley.

"We'll have a game of poker; Friday after school. You in, or are ya afraid some stupid girl is gonna beat ya?"

"I don't play for quarters when I play, girlie," he leered.

"That makes two of us. So, just how much are you prepared to lose?" she quipped.

"A hundred bucks, winner takes all, or is that too much for a high and mighty Cartwright?" laughed Wiley.

Maisy thought for a few seconds then spit on her hand, reached it out to Wiley and growled, "Deal!"

Wiley followed suit and the bet was made, much to the spectators' amazement. When the crowd dispersed, Maisy was left standing with two shocked older brothers by her side, and like usual, Luke was the first to react.

"Are you outta your damn mind?!" Luke barked, spinning her around to face him. "Where the hell are you gonna get a hundred dollars?!"

"Maisy, Wiley's pa is Palmer Grant, the best poker player in Virginia City and the richest. He's probably taught Wiley everything he knows," Benny informed her in a concerned tone.

"You didn't answer me, Maisy," Luke cut in. "Where ya gonna get the money?"

"I have a plan," Maisy replied nonchalantly.

Benny sighed, rolled his eyes then turned to leave, but was stopped by his twin's grasp around the arm.

"Where d'ya think you're going?" Luke asked gruffly.

Benny jerked his arm free. "She has a plan to get a hundred dollars to gamble away and you're wondering where I'm going? Well, let me tell you, brother, I am going as far away from the pair of you as I can possibly get. I happen to like my hide and plan on keeping it, thank you very much!" And with that, Benny stomped away leaving Maisy and Luke to fend for themselves.

Luke rolled his eyes. "Typical Benny, always the first to run," he remarked then looked at his sister. "For the third time, Maisy, how're you gonna get the money?"

"Don'tcha mean how are WE gonna get the money? You are my business manager with forty percent of the take, Luke," she reminded him, "you ain't backing out now."

Luke mumbled some obscenities under his breath. "Fine," he conceded, "how are WE gonna get a hold of a hundred dollars? What's the plan?"

"We borrow it, from the safe box in Pa's office," she told him plainly.

"Have you gone completely MAD?!" he exclaimed. "There is no way we are stealing a hundred dollars from Pa just to lose it to the likes of Wiley Grant!"

"I'm not gonna lose, Luke, and besides we ain't stealing if we put it back the next morning. He'll never know it's gone."

"No, Maisy, it's too risky. We're not doing it!" he stated with as much authority as he could muster.

"Fine," shrugged Maisy, "you wanna lose forty bucks, no skin off my nose; more money for me."

Luke thought for a moment. If she could actually pull it off, he would have the most money he's ever had in his life. He could finally buy that new saddle he has been saving over a year for. Luke's want for his dream saddle trumped the risk and he reluctantly agreed to the idea. "OK, little sister, count me in. So, how's this plan of yours gonna go?"

"Have a seat, brother, and I'll explain everything."

There was nervousness in the air when Luke and Maisy approached their father Thursday evening, after supper. Adam was sitting at his desk in the office alcove, casually going over some paperwork when he felt a couple sets of eyes upon him. "Is something the matter?" he enquired without looking up from his work.

"No, nothing's wrong," Luke answered quickly.

Maisy gave Luke a little nudge and a dirty look as if to say _shut up and let me do the_ _talking_. "Just wanted to ask you something, Pa," she said.

Adam ceased his paperwork and looked up at the children. "Oh, and what would that be, Maisy?" he smiled.

"Well, me and Luke..."

"Luke and I," Adam corrected.

"Yeah, Luke and I need to stay after school tomorrow."

"Is that so, and why would you need to stay after school?" Adam asked in a now serious tone.

Noticing the change in her father's voice, Maisy worked quickly to put his mind at ease. "We ain't in trouble with Miss Miller or anything, Pa. Bobby Ritchie and a few of the other fellas are having a marble tournament and me and Luke wanna stay and watch," she fibbed.

"So you don't need to stay, Maisy, you would like to stay. Is that right?" Adam enquired, correcting his daughter again.

"Yes, sir, we would like to stay."

"Are the extra chores you were both assigned completed?"

"Yes, sir," they answered together.

"Even the patch of new wiring on the chicken coop?"

"Yes, sir," replied Luke, "finished it when I got home from school yesterday."

"Then you have my permission to stay an hour longer after school, but only an hour. When it's four o'clock I want both of you to start for home, understand?"

"Yes, sir," grinned Maisy and Luke then thanked Adam and headed upstairs.

Exiting the kitchen and catching the end of the conversation, Evelyn approached her husband's desk. "What are those two up to?" she asked Adam.

"I'm hoping just a marble game, Evvy, but something's telling me it's a bit more than that."


	4. Chapter 4

With so little light in the office, Maisy struggled with unlocking the safe box. She had taken the key out of her parents' room just before dinner. When everyone was called to the table, Maisy covered her tardiness saying she was finishing up an arithmetic assignment – which seemed to appease her parents.

"Hurry up, will ya!" Luke whispered tersely as he stood between the stove and desk keeping watch.

"I'm doing the best I can!" Maisy shot back in a low voice. "You try doing this in the dark!"

"How'd ya know where Pa kept the key anyhow?"

"Walked by his bedroom door a while back and it was opened. I saw him put some keys in the desk drawer; figured the safe box key would be one of them," she shared quietly.

"Geez, Maisy, have you always been this sneaky?"

"Yep, pretty much," she smiled.

The clock suddenly struck, making the pair of them jump slightly and indicating the time to be two o'clock in the morning.

"Hurry up!" Luke whispered again, but this time with more urgency.

"I'm trying," she huffed, "the latch is stuck."

As Maisy fidgeted with the lock, Luke kept his eyes on the staircase. His heart began to race when he heard movement coming from upstairs and saw the glow of a lantern getting closer and closer to the top of the stairs.

"Someone's coming!" he gasped.

"Go stall, I need more time!" she ordered in a panicky whisper.

"What?! I can't!"

"Go, Luke, please!" she begged.

Luke grimaced then quickly made it up the stairs in time to prevent a very sleepy Adam from going down into the great room.

"Hey, Pa," he smiled, "what're you doing up?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing, young man," yawned Adam.

"Who, me?"

"Yes, son, you. It must be three o'clock in the morning."

"Naw, it's only two," shrugged Luke nervously, trying to stall further.

"Lucas, I'm too tired for games, now what are you doing out of bed?" he demanded.

"Well, ummm...you see, Pa...I was..."

"Beating me to the outhouse," a voice behind him said. Luke spun around to find Maisy standing there. "You think he'd be polite and let a girl go first, but noooo!" she said with fake complaint.

"You both had to use the outhouse at two o'clock in the morning?" Adam asked suspiciously.

"Yeah, Pa, it's one of those funny co-ee things," Maisy answered.

"Coincidences?"

"Yes, sir, one of those."

"Sorry if we were making too much noise, Pa," Luke added.

Adam looked at the two children. His gut told him that they were up to something more than a trip to the outhouse, but after a long workday on the ranch he was too exhausted to care. "Alright you two, back to bed," he yawned.

As they followed their father down the hall, Luke peered over at Maisy and mouthed the words "Did you get it?"

Maisy gave her brother a huge smile and a little wink. The hard part was over; now all she needed to do was win the poker game, piece of cake, right?

The space behind the school's woodshed was crammed with young spectators. They had lingered after school playing outside until Miss Miller packed up her books and left for home, then filed to the rear of the school for the show. And what a show it was! Maisy and Wiley sat opposite of each other on two stumps of wood. In between them was a flipped crate with a deck of cards and two piles of poker chips that Wiley had "borrowed" from his father's vast collection. Bobby Ritchie sat on a small stool in front of the two gamblers nervously holding the two hundred dollar bet in his hands. When Maisy and Luke objected to Lyndon holding the money and Wiley and Lyndon objected to Luke holding the money, Bobby Ritchie was elected. It was the most money he – or any other kid there – had ever laid eyes on, and he guarded it with his life.

"So you wanna play straight or wild?" Wiley asked his opponent smugly.

"Makes no difference to me," she replied straight-faced.

"Fine, we'll play wild poker. It'll be easier for you to catch on," he began condescendingly. "Dealer calls wilds, but it can't be more than two cards. If we have the same hand then the person with the natural hand – you know, without wild cards – wins. Got it?"

"Yep."

"Good, I'm dealing first and I call nines wild," Wiley announced as he shuffled and dealt the cards.

Maisy was dealt two nines, a jack, a seven, and a two. After placing the bet and exchanging only one card, she put down four of a kind; showing two nines, two jacks, and a seven, beating Wiley's natural pair of aces.

When Maisy was handed the deck of cards it was as though two long lost friends had found each other again. Putting on a bit of a show for the onlookers, she bridged, fanned and manipulated the deck the way the professionals do; all the while having her eyes locked on Wiley's shocked expression. Finally dealing the cards, she called out "Red fours and whores helps win this play, so make a bet and don't wait all day." The other boys, including Luke, started to snicker, which turned to cheers and applause when Maisy won another hand. After that round, however, things started going south for Maisy.

The next four hands were disastrous for Maisy, and in turn for her 'manager' Luke. She had lost to Wiley four times in a row now and was down to only a quarter of her chips. Calling for a break, Luke pulled his younger sister aside. "This has gone far enough, Margaret Jane," he warned in his sternest voice, "you need to stop and NOW!"

"Sure thing, Mr. Manager," she uttered sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"I mean it, Maisy, we're going home, NOW!" he ordered, taking her by the arm.

Maisy jerked her arm free saying "It ain't over 'til it's over Luke," then rejoined the card game.

When she sat back down, Wiley glared at her with an arrogant look on his face. "Had enough, Cartwright?" he enquired wryly.

"Just deal the damn cards," she swore.

Calling kings wild, Wiley dealt the cards, then after exchanging two cards, pushed all his chips to the centre of the over-turned crate. "All in," he announced, "either fold or get more money, girl."

"You know I don't have the money, Wiley, so I'll put up something else," Maisy told him.

"Like what?"

"I'll do your homework for a whole month, including the upcoming art project," she offered.

"Your grades ain't good; why would I settle for that?" he guffawed.

"They're a hell of a lot better than your grades plus you can't draw worth beans!" she snapped.

Wiley thought for a minute. She was right, he couldn't draw worth beans and it would be nice not to have to do homework for a whole month. "Fine, you got yourself a deal," he decided, sticking his hand out in front of him.

Much to Luke's chagrin, Maisy shook Wiley's hand and pushed her chips into the middle pile. Joyously, Wiley slammed his cards – a seven, an eight, a king, a ten, and a jack – down onto the crate.

"A straight, jack high, beat that!"

"I have a straight too, but it's only nine high," Maisy winced as she carefully placed each card down one at a time, but then a sly grin crept onto her face. "I guess I wasn't as lucky as you, Wiley, cuz I got my straight without any wild cards, which means – according to you – that I win."

Wiley's mouth gaped open as he watched his female opponent gather up all the chips with one swoop of her arm. "But...I...you..." he mumbled, trying to come up with words to object.

As the other boys clapped and laughed, Bobby Ritchie approached Maisy and handed her the wad of bills he had been guarding, thankful to be rid of them.

"Nice doing business with ya, Wiley. Have fun explaining to your pa bout his missing hundred bucks," she smirked as she gave him a slap on the back then began to walk away.

Catching up with his sister, Luke reached out and grabbed hold of her shoulder, stopping her. "What in the world just happened?" he exclaimed.

"I just won, like I said I would," she shrugged.

"But how? You were losing so bad for the longest time, then won it all? What am I missing here?"

Maisy let out an irritated sigh. "Luke, I had to lose so he would go all in."

"You mean you planned all this?"

"Of course, Pa only gave us an hour, Lucas. Do you have any idea how long poker games last? We would have been there all night. By playing this way I build up his confidence so he goes all in, win the hundred dollars and still have twenty minutes to go buy Pa's present. By the way, here's your cut," she said handing him forty dollars. "Now can we please go to the mercantile so I can buy the saddlebag?"

"After you, oh great and powerful one," he joked giving her a low bow.

Maisy laughed and gave her brother a punch to the arm before the two of them resumed walking in the direction of Mr. Guthrie's store. "I can't wait to see the look on Pa's face when he opens my gift," she beamed, "he's gonna love it!"


	5. Chapter 5

After a wonderful Sunday supper of roast beef, greens, potatoes and cake, the family gathered in the great room to watch Adam open his presents. Determined to have her father open her present last, Maisy had placed the gift under the stairs before dinner and not on the coffee table as her siblings had done with their presents.

Adam gave Mary a big hug and thanked her for the lovely gift of wild flowers and homemade card. More hugs were given to Lizzie and Benny who had combined their money to buy Adam a copy of Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. Luke followed his siblings and gave Adam a new tool caddy he had made out of some of the Ponderosa's fine pine wood, which he stained a bluish-gray colour.

"You did a fine job on it, Luke," he complimented. "My tools will think they've been moved into a mansion. Thank you, son."

Everyone laughed. "Us next!" Jake announced excitedly when the laughter had died down. Morgan and Jake had also combined their pennies to buy their father a small paper bag full of gumdrops, which they handed over surprisingly easy. After Adam had hugged and thanked the boys, Evelyn presented her husband with a dark brown, leather scabbard that contained a new Colt rifle.

"Your brothers helped me pick it out," she told Adam. "They said it was top of the line."

Adam pulled the Colt out of its scabbard and ran his fingers along the rifle, examining its craftsmanship. "It's a beaut, Evvy," he told her, rising from his chair. Lowering the rifle to his side, Adam walked over to his wife "Thank you so much, Sweetheart," he said then kissed her tenderly.

"You are most welcome," she smiled.

With one arm around his wife and the other holding his new rifle, Adam turned towards his children. "Thank you all again for the wonderful gifts; this has been a great birthday!"

Maisy shot up off the settee. "But, Pa, you haven't opened my present yet!" she blurted.

"I'm sorry, Maisy, you have something for me?"

"I sure do," she declared, "go sit in your blue chair and I'll bring it to you."

"Is that an order?" Adam questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Sorry, Pa, I meant to say can you please sit in the blue chair. I pictured you sitting there when you opened my gift."

"Well, if that's the way you pictured things then I best do as I'm told, hadn't I," he grinned as he placed his Colt on his desk then walked over to the blue chair and sat down.

Maisy scurried over to the spot under the stairs where she had stashed the gift. Borrowing one of her mother's shawls, she had placed the saddlebag in the middle then gathered up the sides and secured then at the top with one of her hair ribbons. "Happy birthday, Pa!" she beamed as she gently set the gift on his lap.

Puzzled by the size of the present, Adam untied the ribbon and lifted away the material to find the finely crafted, leather saddlebag. "Maisy, I..." Adam began as he looked to Evelyn for a possible explanation of the elaborate gift.

Evelyn just shrugged her shoulders, shook her head and looked at him as if to say _I_ _had nothing to do with it_.

"What's wrong, Pa? Don't you like it?" Maisy asked with worry in her voice.

"Maisy, it's a beautiful saddlebag, one of the finest I've seen, but how did you..."

"I didn't steal it, if that's what you're getting at!" she said defensively, cutting him off.

"I wasn't 'getting at' anything of the sort, young lady. Although some of your past actions would lead a person to draw such a conclusion," he replied sternly.

"I know they would, Pa, but I didn't steal it, honest I didn't."

"I didn't think you did, Maisy, I just want to know where you got the money to pay for the saddlebag."

"I earned it," she said proudly.

Adam looked at his wife, who again shrugged her shoulders. "How did you earn it?" he asked.

Maisy made a quick glance over to Luke whose eyes went as wide as saucers as he gave her a slight shake of his head. Maisy, however, ignored Luke's warning and proceeded to answer her father. "From winning at marbles and cards against the boys at school," she told him rather casually.

You could hear a pin drop in the room as Adam placed the saddlebag on the coffee table and rose from his seat. "You played for money?" he enquired with a raised eyebrow.

"Yep, cleaned 'em out pretty good too," she responded with a big grin.

Adam grumbled something under his breath. He could feel a headache coming on and did not want to deal with what he feared was about to happen, especially when it has been such an enjoyable day. "How much did you win, Maisy?" he finally asked.

The girl did a quick mental calculation. "Um...'bout seventy," she answered.

"Seventy cents is a fair bit of money for a young girl, but it is hardly enough to buy a leather saddlebag."

"Dollars," she corrected him.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I won about seventy dollars, not cents," Maisy told him rather pleased with herself.

"DOLLARS?!" yelled Adam. "You took seventy dollars from those kids?!"

"I didn't take nothing!" Maisy shot back. "I earned that money!"

"Margaret Jane, earning involves work; you did not work for that money," Adam informed his daughter, trying to remain calm in the process.

"I did so! That's my money; I won it fair and square!"

Adam took a giant step towards Maisy and pointed his forefinger at her. "You better watch your tone, little girl! You may have won the money but your gambling career is over as of now! You will return every cent of that money first thing tomorrow morning, do you understand me?!"

Maisy folded her arms across her chest. "I will when you do," she said smugly.

"Come again?"

"When you, Uncle Hoss, Uncle Joe, and Grandpa return all the money y'all have ever won in poker games then I'll return mine."

"Maisy!" gasped Evelyn.

That was the last straw for Adam. "I've had all the sass I'm going to take from you, Margaret Jane! You will do as you're told!"

Maisy shook her head as tears started to well up in her eyes. "No, I won't; not ever," she uttered then turned and sprinted out the front door.

"Maisy! Maisy!" barked Adam as he watched the girl run off. He quickly spun around to the rest of the family – who had been silent observers of the incident. "Did any of you children know what Maisy was up to?"

All eyes quickly fell upon a visibly nervous Luke. "Um...well, Pa, you see..."

"I might have known you'd be involved," said Adam, cutting Luke off. "Get upstairs, I'll deal with you later."

Luke obeyed with rapid speed while the rest of the family watched as Adam left the great room to find Maisy.

Outside, Adam scanned the front yard for a sign of where Maisy could have rushed off to. When he spied the rope ladder to the treehouse swaying slightly, Adam knew he didn't have to look far for the little spitfire.

Walking up to the tree, Adam put his hands on his hips and looked up towards the towering structure. "Maisy, I know you're up there; come down right now," he called up calmly. When no response was given, Adam became more forceful with his words. "Margaret Jane Cartwright, if I have to come up there, you are going to be one sorry little girl!" Hearing movement coming from above, he took a couple steps back before as he saw Maisy descend from the treehouse. Skipping the last two rungs of the ladder, Maisy jumped to the ground and turned to face Adam.

He wanted to verbally lay into the girl, however after seeing her face Adam changed his mind. "Have you been crying?" he asked.

"Not like you care," she mumbled, wiping her eyes with one of her sleeves.

"I'm your father, Maisy, of course I care."

"You ain't my pa, not really. I get you the best present outta all the kids and you think I'm a thief! Well, I don't care if you think I'm a thief! I don't care if you don't love me! I don't..."

"Now hold on just one minute, young lady," Adam interrupted, taking Maisy by the shoulders. "You are my daughter as much as Lizzie and Mary are and I will not have you thinking otherwise. I love and care about you, Margaret Jane, more than you may know and I am sick and tired of this 'woe-est-me' attitude you seem to develop every time you are in trouble. My temper may be conditional, but my love is not and, deep down, I know you understand that, Maisy."

"But you didn't like my gift, and..."

"I never said I didn't like it, Maisy. What I do not like is how you went about getting the money to purchase the saddlebag. I will not tolerate any of my children lying and gambling, even if his or her intentions were good. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir," she sighed. "Does this mean you're not keeping the saddlebag?"

"I will be taking it back to the mercantile first thing tomorrow morning. When I get the money back from Mr. Guthrie you are to donate that money and the rest of your winnings to the orphanage in Carson City," he explained.

"So you don't want me to give the money back to the boys I won it from anymore?"

"No, I think donating it will serve a better purpose, don't you?"

"Yes sir," Maisy agreed reluctantly.

Seeing his daughter's disheartened expression, Adam picked Maisy up in his arms and hugged her tightly. "I love you, Sweetie," he whispered to her. "I'm touched that you wanted to get me such a wonderful gift, but you don't need to spend money on me to show you care. I would have loved one of your drawings or paintings."

"Now you tell me," Maisy quipped as she hugged back.

Adam laughed as he set Maisy down on the ground. "Now that the issue over the money has been settled on to your punishment," he said in a more serious tone.

"Punishment?!" she blurted out. "You've got to be joshin', Pa! What do you call givin' away all my money?!"

"I call it being charitable to those less fortunate, not being punished for behaviour you know to be wrong, Margaret Jane," Adam smirked.

Maisy let out a heavy sigh of defeat. "Well let's get it over with," she said as she started to walk towards the barn.

"Not so fast," said Adam, stopping the girl. "I want to know what part Luke played in this money making scheme first."

"He didn't, Pa," Maisy lied.

Adam cocked his eyebrow sceptically. "Luke had nothing to do with this fiasco? I find that rather hard to believe, Maisy."

"I don't know what Luke told you, but he didn't help me with anything."

"And you're going to stick with that story?"

"Yep."

"So you're ready to take responsibility this mess and the tanning that comes with it?"

"Yes sir, it was all me," she answered quickly then continued to walk towards the barn.

"Nice try, missy," Adam commented quietly as he followed his daughter, "but he's not going to get off that easily."


	6. Chapter 6

Luke walked out onto the front porch Monday morning to find Maisy at the table finishing some schoolwork. "Hey Maise," he said as he strolled up to the table.

"Hey," she replied quietly, keeping her focus on the task at hand.

"Watcha working on?"

"Arithmetic; didn't get a chance to finish my homework this weekend," she mumbled.

Luke was already feeling guilty with what had transpired over the past couple days, and seeing his sister in a sullen mood didn't help that feeling. "Need any help? I'm real good at your level of arithmetic," he offered.

"Nope."

Luke sat down beside Maisy. "Look, Sis, I know you're mad at me, but that doesn't mean I can't help."

"Like you helped last night?" she snapped.

"Hey, I didn't ask you not to tell Pa, that was your choice," he countered.

"I'm not Mary, Luke! I don't squeal on people!"

Luke's expression softened a bit. "Well you might as well have told cuz Pa figured I had done something."

"Why, what happened?"

"When you ran out of the house last night, he sent me to my room then came in about a half an hour later. Told me you were on restriction for the next two weeks and that I would be doing all your chores along with my own. Said he didn't know how I was involved, but that he was sure I was."

"You got off pretty easy, if you ask me," Maisy huffed.

Luke knew she was right, but Maisy didn't have to go through all this trouble to buy their father a gift. She should have drawn him a picture instead, as Luke had suggested to begin with. "Was pa tough on you?" he enquired.

"Well, let's see...he's returning my present to the store, I have to donate all my money to the orphanage, I'm restricted to my room for two weeks where I have to read and study the bible – Ma added that one – and to top it all off I've got a sore backside from one helluva tanning. So excuse me if I can't feel sorry for you about some extra chores," she said dryly.

"Boy, that's pretty tough, all right," he shared sympathetically. "It's not like you robbed a bank or anything."

"Yeah, I know," she agreed gloomily.

Luke reached into his pocket and pulled out a little felt pouch and placed it on the table in front of Maisy.

"What's this?" she asked.

"Twenty-four dollars; I figured you deserve it seeing that you played the game against Wiley, not me. Plus it ain't fair you had to give your share to charity."

Maisy picked up the pouch and held it in her hand. "Thanks Luke, but I thought I gave you forty dollars," she casually mentioned with a cocked eyebrow.

"I still get forty percent, Maisy. I may be nice, but I ain't that nice," he smiled.

"Sure you are," she chuckled then rose and hugged her brother.

"Alright, alright, don't go getting all 'female' on me," Luke said with mock annoyance as he gently pushed her away.

Maisy placed the pouch in her dress pocket. "Too bad I couldn't keep the hundred bucks I used for the bet, eh?"

Her words made Luke jolt to attention. "The hundred dollars we borrowed from Pa," he whispered. "I completely forgot about the money! What are we gonna do?"

"So now it's WE?" smirked Maisy. "I already put it back, so don't fret, big brother."

"But how? When?"

Maisy went on to explain that when Adam was questioning Luke, she left her room and snuck into their parents' bedroom to retrieve the safe box key again. At around two in the morning, Maisy quietly crept down to the office and put the money back.

"How'd ya put the key back without Ma and Pa seeing you?"

"I was late for breakfast this morning, remember?" she winked.

Luke smiled and let out a sigh of relief. "You know Maise, you really are the Queen of Sneakiness."

Maisy gave her brother another wink then let out an infectious giggle as she gathered up her books in her arms. She started to walk off the porch when a horse and rider came into the front yard, causing her to pause momentarily.

"Morning, Luke. Morning, Maisy."

"Morning, Uncle Hoss," Luke greeted. "Why are you here?"

"What, can't an uncle visit his kin?" Hoss said, pretending to be offended.

Knowing his uncle was joshing, Luke decided to play along. "Depends, did ya bring us anything?"

Hoss started to chuckle. "No, but if you keep that sass up, I might come up with something to give you."

"Message received, sir!" Luke grinned as he stood at attention and gave his uncle a salute.

Hoss and Maisy burst out laughing at the site of Luke acting like a soldier.

"What's so amusing?" a voice called. Maisy and Luke turned to see Adam exiting the house and walking towards them.

"You gotta pretty funny boy there, brother," Hoss commented as he leaned forward on his saddle.

"So I've been told," he said, ruffling Luke's hair with his hand.

"You ready to go?" Hoss asked.

"Just about," he answered then turned to Luke. "Son, will you please go saddle up my horse?"

"Sure thing, Pa," he said then ran to prepare his father's ride.

"Where ya going, Pa?" Maisy asked.

"Your uncle and I have some business in Carson City," he replied.

"Oh, right," she unhappily mumbled, recalling the handkerchief full of money she had handed over to him last night.

"You don't need to be sad, Maisy, Your pa and I only have a meeting with some fellows about an upcoming contract; we'll be home by dinner time," Hoss explained.

"I don't think that's why she's upset, Hoss," Adam told him.

"Not sure if I follow," Hoss said rather puzzled.

"I'll explain on the way. I need to make a stop at the orphanage while we're there, if you don't mind."

"Don't mind at all, we best be on our way though, or we'll be late."

"Right you are. I'll grab the paperwork then we can head out," said Adam as he turned and hurried into the house.

Maisy's glum expression continued when she saw Luke lead their father's saddled horse out of the barn. _I can't believe he's actually going through with this, _she thought. Sure, the orphanage needed all the help they could get – Maisy could attest to that fact – but it was her money. Despite what her father had said, Maisy felt she had earned the money and was fair about the games she played. If the boys were stupid enough to have played against her, then that was their fault. She shouldn't be punished because they competed so poorly. She also hoped Adam wouldn't share with Mother Lioba where and from whom the money came. Even though she was no longer living under the nun's supervision, Maisy didn't want to add the pressure of eternal damnation to her list of punishments. Plus, secretly, the woman had always scared her a little and for a hellion like Maisy, that was saying a lot.

Adam walked out of the house carrying his coat, a small sack of food, and to Maisy's surprise, the leather saddlebag. He thanked Luke for preparing his ride then slung the bag over the horn of the saddle and checked to make sure it was secure.

"That's a pretty good-looking saddlebag you got there, Adam," Hoss noticed as his brother mounted his ride. "Your wife sure has fancy taste. First the Colt now this; looks like you were spoiled for your birthday."

"I was indeed, but Evelyn didn't get me the bag, it was a gift from my Maisy," Adam grinned as he gave his daughter a wink.

Maisy's face lit up when she realised just what his little wink meant.

Hoss let out a whistle. "A fine saddlebag like that must have cost you quite a bit, girl."

"You have no idea, Uncle Hoss," Maisy chuckled slightly, "you have no idea."


End file.
